When his hand stopped at the small of her back, she said tremulously, “I’m sorry.” Biting her lip to stop it from trembling, she said again, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to suffer—-”
“If there’s anyone you should be sorry for,” the god said bitterly, “then it’s for my subjects, to have a king like me.”
Hearing the pain in the god’s voice made her hurt, too, and Ever felt tears sting her eyes. Unable to help it, she turned in his arms, whispering, “It wasn’t your fault, Hades. You have to know that.”
“I am their king,” he said tonelessly. “I should have known they were suffering.”
“You’re not perfect,” she protested, “and I know – I believe – your people don’t expect you to be either.” She raised herself on his chest and, looking straight into his eyes, she said fiercely, “What’s important is that you care for them, and your people know this.”
Hades didn’t answer.
“Don’t be dumb.” The words were out before she could stop herself, and cringing, she stammered, “I mean, obtuse. You can’t be so obtuse to continue thinking that your people blame you for an innocent mistake—-”
“No, milady.” The god’s tone was bland. “You did mean dumb.”
“Stop obsessing over the word,” she muttered. “My point is, even smart people like you can make mistakes.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”
“And I am truly smart in your eyes?” he asked musingly.
“Of course!”
“Smart enough to know what is right for my people?”
“Absolutely!”
Hades was looking at her with an unreadable expression. “Enough to swear on this?”
“I so solemnly swear—-”
The god’s lips curved in a satisfied smile. “Good.”
In a blink of an eye, the god had suddenly reversed their positions, and Ever was flat on her back while Hades loomed over her.
Bloody hell, she suddenly had a feeling she had fallen for a trap so cunningly laid out that even now, she had no idea what she was in trouble for. She just knew she was.
“As you have sworn to believe in my cognitive abilities—-”
“Now you’re just showing off,” she couldn’t help accusing him.
Hades only smirked, not even bothering to deny the truth. “All the same, you did swear,” he purred, “and so I expect you to agree when I tell you—-”
His mouth brushed against her ear, and she bit back a whimper.
“My people’s rightful queen...”
Her eyes widened.
“Is you.”
Oh.
“Hades—-”
He bit her ear. “Remember that you swore, milady, and those who do not stand by their words are severely punished in this kingdom.”
She looked up at him with a scowl. “Stop threatening me.”
“I am not. I’m merely stating a fact—-”
“But Hades.” Her teeth sank painfully into her lower lip. “I’m mortal.”
“Ambrosia will solve that in a second.”
“But the prophecy—-”
“Has been fulfilled,” he finished.
“How can you say that?” she cried out. “The first line says very specially—-”
“The lord would fall because of her,” he quoted, “and I did. I literally fell.”
She stared at him blankly.
“I’m serious.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you bloody kidding—-”
“No. I am not, and now that I have addressed your baseless doubts—-”
“They are not baseless!”
“This discussion is over.” And to punctuate his declaration, he cupped her face and kissed her hard. She tried to push him away, but he was relentless, and so was his tongue, laying siege to her defenses as it stroked against her tongue and explored her mouth.
When he raised his head, the god was satisfied to see only a look of surrender on her face.
“You are my prophesied queen,” he told her commandingly, “and tomorrow you shall be crowned my queen.”
The tears finally fell, and she whispered, “Are you certain?”
“I have never been more certain.”
A fragile smile touched her lips, and she whispered, “Then...yes. I will be your queen.”
Chapter Ten
When Ever woke up, she expected the other side of the bed to be empty, just like it had been on the past two mornings. But when her eyes opened, it was to see Hades lying on his side, head propped up—-
Hades’ brows shot up at her shriek of surprise. “What?”
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” she stammered, her heart still beating hard at the shock he had given her.
“Ah.” His lips twitched. “I am sorry for that, milady. I didn’t think I’d be the first thing you’d look for the moment you woke up.”
“I did not—-”
He murmured against her lips, “I promise to be always there when you wake up.”
She started to protest, but then he was kissing her and she forgot what she wanted to say.
This was going to be a good day, she thought dreamily as she kissed Hades back.
But only an hour later, and she realized she was wrong.
It wasn’t a good day.
It was the best day ever.
After making love, the god took her to the bath and they made love in the water once more. Following that, Hades took her to the morning room, where she nearly had a heart attack upon seeing the goddess of wisdom waiting to take her measurements.